


And in your hands, a universe

by twinSky



Category: Hikaru no Go
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Fluff, Gen, regular not baby hikaru, small baby hikaru, up until
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-25 14:01:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22497283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twinSky/pseuds/twinSky
Summary: The biggest changes in our lives are often brought upon by the smallest of things.In this case, Hikaru meeting Sai at a much younger age starts with something as simple as his father being called away on a business trip.
Relationships: Fujiwara no Sai & Shindou Hikaru
Comments: 14
Kudos: 294





	And in your hands, a universe

**Author's Note:**

> me after finishing a weight you can't carry: this was sad. i need to write something happy to make up for it  
> me, 3 days later, publishing this: sai meeting hikaru when he was a baby. yes. perfect.  
> Also does Shindou's dad or grandmother have a name? I don't think so, but because they don't seem toe xisit at all in canon aside from one-off lines i am free to imagine Hiakru's dad as a loving doting father. That is within my rights
> 
> in other words, idefk, this fic is told from Sai's POV except for the first two sections. This was my brain punishing me for not giving him a POV in the the last one
> 
> (the worst part about writing kids, is trying to make them sound like. well. kids)

Heihachi ponders how exactly he ever managed to raise Masao as he rattles a toy over Hikaru’s head. Of course that was more thanks to his wife than anything, but it wasn’t as if he wasn’t involved at all. But, if he allows himself some kind of leeway, Masao had not been an infant for almost four decades, and the 8-month-old before him, though loved dearly, seems almost like a strange concept. Some grandfather he was, silently fretting about being left alone with his own grandson.

Hikaru babbles in response to his musings, tiny hands reaching up towards the toy as a bit of drool drips down his chin. He reaches up too high, tilting forward, somehow managing to clumsily place his hands on the floor to right himself before he can grab him. He sighs in relief, if Hikaru somehow got injured on top of everything else…

“Zee’, Zee’,” HIkaru cheered, once again lifting his hands up too reach, and Heihachi did not understand at all, but if Misako was here he was almost sure she’d be insisting he was trying to say ‘Jii-chan’. His daughter in law had the upmost confidence her boy would be speaking soon, he was indeed quite the babbler.

“Zee’ indeed, Hikaru” He replies graciously, using his free hand to lift Hikaru’s bib to his chin to wipe off the drool.

Perhaps he and Hikaru would be alright for a couple of days by themselves, even his home was not the most child friendly environment at the moment. He sighs, leaning back to rest his weight on one arm, gazing softly at his grandson as his mind slipped into the situation that had landed the two of them here.

-

He could say that it started about two weeks ago, but it would be more accurate to say it began eight months ago when one tiny Shindou Hikaru was born into the world, and his father instantly fell in love.

Between work and other obligations Heihachi had not had much to do with his son’s younger years, he helped when he could, made time for the important events, but most of the duties had fallen on his wife, who was a stay at home mother. He had thought his son would be much the same.

Masao however, seemed intent on spending as much time at home as he could. He went into work earlier than before, worked as hard as he could, so he would have to work as little overtime as possible. Heihachi didn’t know what kind of deal he’d made with his employers but even his business trips usually lasted no longer than a day or three. His son had seemed tired, but the exhaustion did not compare to the joy on his face any time he visited with little Hikaru in his arms.

His wife and him had raised a good son, he was quite proud of that.

Of course, all good things must come to an end, and a week and a half ago Masao had been informed that they needed someone to head down to the Nagoya branch of the company for a month. All other possible substitutes were already tied to other projects or roles and he’d have little choice but to accept. It was amusing at least to watch a grown man hold his son teary-eyed as he left to board his flight.

As soon as the trip had been decided a couple things were agreed upon, his wife had instantly agreed to move into their household for the duration of the trip, Hikaru was still young and fussy and her help would be better suited there than sitting around here at home with him.

Which was fine of course, he was more than capable of making meals for himself and keeping the home for a month, but then his wife had turned her stern eyes on him and demanded that the storehouse be cleaned in her absence.

 _“You’ll be all alone in that house for a month! What more do you have to do than finally organize that mess, it was your choice to keep it all so don’t think I will.”_ He remembered her saying quite clearly, the stern tilt to her voice that he had somehow always found endearing.

He had spent most of the first week just getting everything in the store house spread out around the house. Today he had been planning to begin cleaning the second floor of the storehouse when his wife had called him just a bit frantic, informing him that she’d be over soon before hanging up.

She had arrived a tense thirty minutes a large pack in one arm and Hikaru calmly sleeping in the other.

“Mitsuko collapsed.” She said as he greeted her, and it was only her casual tone that kept him from worrying, “She’s fine, perhaps a combination of the heat and stress caused her to grow sick, but she’s resting just fine in the hospital now. The doctor’s want to monitor her for a couple days however, and a hospital is no place for such a small child so you will watch him and I will watch over her.” She paused, putting the bag down and shifting her hold on Hikaru. “Don’t tell Masao, that boy will worry needlessly when it’s not that big of a deal.”

“Dear, the house is a mess, I have antiques and other objects just laying around.” He said as she gently placed Hikaru in his arms, moving into the kitchen to grab the phone. “It’s not exactly the most child friendly of places at the moment.”

She raised an eyebrow at him as she lifted the phone to her ear, plugging in a number. “You’ll be fine, don’t you fret on me as well Mitsuko is already beside herself with worry.” Her gaze shifted, angling towards the phone, “Yes, hello, if I could please order a taxi.” She paused, rattling off their address, “as soon as you can, yes. Thank you very much, have a nice day.”

“Sae…”

“I have to hurry back to let Mitsuko know Hikaru is in good hands. Do call if you need anything.” She replied, probably not listening to his call at all, coming over to kiss him on the cheek and then angling herself to place one on Hikaru’s forehead. “Have fun.” She’d said lightly as she marched out the door.

He sighed, looking down at Hikaru’s slumbering face, “Just you and me now kiddo.”

-

That had been a few hours ago, and Hikaru had since woken up, been fed, and changed twice. He should probably wash him now, or perhaps give him a small snack and then do that.

“Right, Hikaru?” He asked, looking down and then stilling, “ _Hikaru?_ ” He said faintly, hoping that perhaps if said it again his grandson would just appear in front of him.

He knew the boy loved to crawl, these days he looked just about ready to stand up and sprint. And yet he’d allowed himself to wander when they were just sitting here on the ground with no barrier, a house full of things a child could injure himself with. He stood up in a panic, if something happened to him his own guilt would be the least of his worries.

His wife would kill him, let alone what Masao and Mitsuko would do.

“Hikaru,” he called as he looked around the room, “Come on Hikaru, tell Jii-chan where you are.”

In answer, a shriek resounded through the house and Heihachi found himself moving faster than he thought himself possible of at this age.

He found Hikaru two rooms over, sitting in front of one of the Goban’s, and his heart thudded irrationaly in his chest as he realized it was the haunted one. His grandson disappears and reappears in front of a haunted goban, he was almost sure this was how horror movie’s started.

“Ah’, Ah’” Hikaru was saying, hands stretching up like they had been when they we’re playing with the toy except nothing was there, they wiggled around the air, as if searching for something. He moved closer just as Hikaru’s hands landed on the top of it, lifting himself up on clumsy legs. Had he done that yet? He was pretty sure Hikaru was still just crawling. “Ah’, Ah’” Hikaru called again, trying to reach and stay up right with little success.

He sighed, walking over to lift Hikaru up and he screeched happily as it happened, chubby arms wiggling forward even now.

“Come on, let’s go, this isn’t any place for a child.” He said, cradling Hikaru closer, and Hikaru, as if understanding his intentions began to cry. “Come now, shh, it’s okay.”

Hikaru quieted, almost disturbingly quick, and he looked down to see he had fallen asleep. Heihachi sighed, softly rubbing away the tear tracks as he left the room. He cast a suspicious look back at the goban, and was somehow _more_ suspicious of it now that the air around it seemed different, calmer. He should have kept that thing locked away on its own while he did this.

He sighed again, looking down at Hikaru’s slumbering face. At least he was fine, curling closer to Heihachi as if he felt a bit cold.

Yes, his grandson was just fine.

-

Fujiwara no Sai is no stranger to children, to infants. He himself had never gotten married, and nor had Torajirou, but he had had younger siblings, had spent time around the women who took care of the palace children and in Torajirou’s younger years, before he had moved to the capital, was constantly underfoot by running toddlers and children.

Sai had a special appreciation for children, and the world of possibilities that existed in them before the world and people shaped them. It was magical, he had said once to the ladies of the court, and they had tittered politely in reply but he had thought there was some truth to the statement. Perhaps not something so ephemeral or flowery, but it was something.

Sai liked children, it did not mean he knew what to do with them.

So when he’d felt the presence by the board, the way it reacted to his words, the pressure as whoever it was pressed a hand against Torajirou’s blood stain he had been ecstatic, energy surging forward as he escaped the confines of the goban he had not expected to find a child, not even of age to speak.

His eyes flickered to the older man a few paces away, because surely it was the man who had heard his call. But it was the child who’s hands were planted upon the goban, the child who’s tiny limbs we’re trying to reach up to him, clearly seeing him where the other man’s gaze was focused solely on the child.

It was bewilderment that kept him from saying anything more, his introduction when he had felt the presence earlier was aimed towards not just someone who could hear him, but could understand him as well. He had no idea what to say no.

He watched absently as the older man picked the child up, _“Come on, let’s go, this isn’t any place for a child.”_ He was taking the boy away, and he stared, unsure, the boy… they were connected now, could feel it as surely as he had felt his connection with Torajirou.

The man turned, and his view of the tiny child in his arms disappeared, and at the same moment he began to wail.

Panic overwhelmed his confusion and he moved, floating over to face the child, who calmed as their eyes met. He smiled softly as he stared down at him.

“Well hello young one, it seems as though we’ll be together from now on. My name is Fujiwara no Sai, and it seems we’ll be spending quite some time together.”

The child smiled, happily, once again stretching his hand out at him. This time he obliged, reaching out and taking it softly in his own. The child’s smile brightened and then dimmed in exhaustion, falling back again the man asleep.

Sai hummed, well this was odd, but it was interesting at least.

-

If there was something to be said about this, it was that being a ghost attached to a child was a bit boring. Hikaru (he had learned later that first day, as his grandfather had tried getting the fussy boy to eat) paid attention to him, but he could not converse with him, and Sai found most of his days spent between paying attention to Hikaru and paying half a mind to the conversation of his parents.

He liked when they visited Hikaru’s grandparents, his grandfather usually convinced his father to play a game of Go with him, and Sai treasured watching those innocent battles between family.

He missed Go, but Hikaru was still young, and his grandfather seemed wary of letting Hikaru near them ever since he had found him on his own before Torajirou’s. He supposed that was his own fault, but he had felt Hikaru so close and could not contain his excitement, he had not expected his call to bring him such a small child, but there was no helping it now.

He found other ways to entertain himself in the mean time.

“Come on Hikaru,” he said, waving his fan around, “say it, I know you can. Sai, Suh-ai”

Around him Hikaru’s mother and father we’re trying the same, and he was a bit unduly proud of how Hikaru’s eyes lingered on him the most. He supposed he should not be surprised, stuck as he was to Hikaru’s side and unable to sleep it had become a habit to help him calm down when he woke up crying in the night, and to play along with his mindless games when his parents were busy with other tasks.

He had noticed his mother’s suspicious gazes, racing in after hearing her son’s cries only to already find him peacefully asleep or giggling softly in his crib.

“Sa!” Hikaru said happily, clapping his hands together.

“Yes!” His mother cheered, misinterpreting his attempt. “Kaa-chan, Hikaru, _Kaaah-chan_.”

“No Hikaru, say Tou-chan, say it.” His father pouted.

Hikaru ignored them, still trying to say the same word.

“Saaaa,” Hikaru intoned, “Saaaa-y, Sai! _Saaai_!”

“Hikaru!” Sai called back, floating around to embrace him as Hikaru laughed in response.

“Sai!” He continued to chant, as his parents stared at him in confusion, unsure whether he had said anything at all. Eventually they relented, his mother picking Hikaru up as they left the activity for another day.

(A week later when Hikaru managed to say Kaa-chan, no one but him could notice Sai’s pout as he lamented no one’s appreciation of Hikaru saying his name first.

Of course, no one but Hikaru could see him, and know his name to understand it, but it was the principle of the thing.

“Sai, ‘ky” Hikaru had said, roughly patting Sai’s knee as watched his mother and father hug tearfully. He giggled raising his arms high, “Up!”

“Hikaru your second word!” Mitsuko cried, immediately rushing to lift her son while Masao took pictures.

“Third word,” Sai muttered, of course unheard by all but himself and Hikaru. And he supposed that that was enough, Hikaru and he would know, and that would be their own little secret.)

-

Sai is not physical; he is a ghost haunting the boy, the soul, he has linked himself too. That is something he understands perfectly well, it was true back in Torajirou’s time, it was true back when he first died and his soul was tied to the goban. He cannot be seen, he cannot feel, he cannot touch. The world passes through him like air, and the things he tries to touch slip through his fingers like glass, however there is one exception to that rule.

And that exception seems to have trouble understanding that.

He supposes he cannot blame Hikaru, to a child it must be hard to understand why a person he can see and touch is incapable of being seen by others, of touching the toys Hikaru offers him.

He hides a smile behind his fan as Hikaru drags him determinedly forward, placing him in front of the net like object his parents had bought him. Something to do with that soccer game Hikaru had started to like watching on the television.

“Sai stay!” Hikaru said, grabbing the ball and ambling over to the other side.

Then he set the ball kicking it as hard as he could, falling back with the force of it, and both of them watched as it sped straight towards the net, slipping right through Sai and into the net.

“No!” Hikaru shouted angrily, “Sai _stop_ ball.”

He sighed, floating closer, “Hikaru I can’t touch the ball to stop it.”

Hikaru pouted, cheeks puffing out and Sai valiantly resisted the urge to reach down and pinch them. “S’easy.”

“For _you_ maybe,” Sai said, folding his legs to sit neatly on the ground, Hikaru plopping down beside him, grumpily tugging on the ends of his kariginu. “Hikaru it might be hard for you to understand, but only you can see me, and I can only touch you nothing else.” He pauses, if he calls himself a ghost, will Hikaru be scared? Will he understand what that really means? He’s not sure what Hikaru thinks when he sees him, other than that he’s always happy when he does. “I am here, only to your eyes.” he decides on eventually.

“Kaa-chan no see,” Hikaru grumbles, “Tou-chan no see. Hikaru see!”

“Well yes, that is true.” He replies as Hikaru grows quiet, staring down at where his hands are buried in the fabric of Sai’s clothing.

“We play!” Hikaru eventually decides, standing and tugging at Sai, urging him to get up. He complies easily, following Hikaru as he stubbornly pushes the net out of the way and then reaches into his toy box for a paint set one of the neighbor’s had gotten him for his second birthday.

“You say,” Hikaru begins as he spreads paper on the floor, taking the brush clumsily in his hand, “I draw.”

Sai blinks, staring down at Hikaru who is waiting impatiently for his reply.

“ _You say!_ ” Hikaru repeats.

“Ah, a tree then.” Sai replies, watching as Hikaru moves the brush up and down in a nonsensical pattern, dipping the dirty brush into the green to repeat the process.

When Hikaru eventually finishes and lifts it up proudly, Sai smiles and calls it wonderful as he gives him another world.

An hour later when Mitsuko peeks into the living room she will find her son surrounded by drawing after drawing of colourful scribbles and a couple of just black, the lines on those a bit more uniform.

Of course, Sai could not help himself. He saw paper, he saw brushes, and he could not help but want Hikaru to work on his brush strokes. Calligraphy is such a beautiful art, not as nice as Go, but it would be nice if Hikaru could learn it as well.

-

Hikaru is three and a half years old and Sai comes to the sudden realization that Hikaru does not have friends. Which is a problem, children should have friends, other children they can speak and relate to. And Hikaru is such a bright and happy child, there should be no reason for him to always be spending do much time on his own.

And yet… Sai comes to his second sudden realization. And it is that this situation is most likely his fault.

Today Mitsuko has taken them to a nearby park, and while other children run and chase each other around, Hikaru is by himself in the sandbox, occasionally asking Sai’s opinion as he worked on his creation.

“Hikaru.” Sai said, watching as his eyes flickered over before focusing back on his building. “Why don’t you go play with the other kids?”

“Am playing.” Hikaru replied, reaching for one of the nearby sticks.

“Yes, but playing with others is so much more fun than playing by yourself!”

At that Hikaru paused, looking up at Sai with a frown. “Not self, playing with you.”

Sai sighed, he thought that might be the issue. “Yes but other kids, to run around with. You could play soccer with them, they’d make a much better goalie than me.”

“Really?” Hikaru said, eyes glittering as they darted towards the ball resting by Mitsuko as she spoke to one of the other mothers.

“Yes,” Sai replied, getting excited himself, “You could play with them, make some real friends.” He continued, clapping his hands together until he noticed the way Hikaru’s shoulders had hunched together as his attention turned back to his construction.

“Sai’s real.” He said. “Real friend.” He said stubbornly, “No wanna play soccer.”

Ah, a poor choice of words on his part. Hikaru had been a foul mood a few days ago when he’d brought Sai up to his mother and she’d brushed the topic away as a simple imaginary friend. Sai felt nothing towards that, it was a reasonable assessment, no one would think to believe their child haunted, but to Hikaru who knew and saw him as real, the statement had hurt.

Sai still thought it best if Hikaru could make some friends his own age, but he conceded the battle for the day. His wording had soured the topic for now, and pushing it would do them no good.

He sighed, wondering if there was anything, he could do to help that along.

He was still pondering it when a little girl came along and sat down on the other side of Hikaru.

“What ya doing?” She asked, brushing the sand off her skirt.

“Building.”

“What ya building?”

“Castle.”

“What kind of castle?”

Hikaru paused, turning to look at her. “I dunno? Just a castle.”

“ _Boring_.” The girl intoned solemnly as Hikaru puffed up in anger.

“S’not boring!”

“Boring.” She said again, sticking out her tongue.

“Is not!”

“Is too!”

“Is not!”

“Is t— _ah!_ ” She screamed as Hikaru tackled her, wiggling underneath him until she flipped it around. Sai watched them roll around in amusement until both parents came to separate them, frantic apologies on both their lips.

Sai ignored that, watching the girl’s grinning face as Hikaru stuck his tongue out at her.

This was their first meeting with Hikaru’s future best friend, Fujisaki Akari and Sai personally thought it was perfect. The strongest of friendships were forged in the fiercest of fires. And to a small child, what stronger fire existed than childish struggles over personal accomplishments.

Nothing, Sai thought quite firmly, and as he watched Hikaru’s frown fade into a grin, he saw nothing to change his mind.

-

“Sai are you a ghost?” Hikaru asks one day on the way home from school. At six Hikaru has become quite the chatterbox, and it had leant well to making friends in his class.

The question gives him pause as he looks over, but Hikaru’s gaze is locked firmly forward. In all the time they have spent together Hikaru had never really questioned Sai’s presence. Sai was here, and he was real, and that was all Hikaru had ever really cared to know.

“Why do you want to know?” He asks, watching as Hikaru shrugs, kicking a passing a rock.

“I dunno, heard some kids talkin’ about it.” Sai hummed, trying to think of what Hikaru was talking about but came up blank.

“I am.” He eventually said, not wanting to lie, nor seeing a reason to. Hikaru would have to learn eventually, and if he was asking Sai would not deny him.

“Okay.” Hikaru had replied however, seemingly ending the topic there.

There is a question on Hikaru’s mind, and even with their connection Sai cannot see it. Hikaru keeps it close, grumbling and bothered, but does not voice it.

A week later Hikaru asks one night before bed; “Sai, are you happy?”

“Of course,” he replied easily, because he was, watching Hikaru grow up was a delight, and though he still missed playing Go, still had his own goals he wanted to strive for, he was patient, and he would not rush. Such a small child’s life was not his to change.

“Okay.” Hikaru replied again, turning around to face him “I’m glad.” He floated over, a bubble of concern forming in his not-there stomach as he took Hikaru’s hand in his own.

He fell asleep soon after, and not once through the night did he let Sai’s hand go.

“How did you die?” Hikaru asks, another week later, legs swinging on the chair as he works through his homework.

“Hikaru… I don’t –”

“I wanna know.” He interrupted, writing his next answer with enough force the paper squeaked. “Will you tell me, please?” He put the pencil down, turning to look at Sai looking so small and pleading.

He fretted, flitting about the room, before sighing settling right beside him.

“Okay. If you’re sure Hikaru.” And Hikaru nodded, gaze eager and intent upon him. “Okay… It starts, it starts one thousand years ago in the emperor’s abode…”

He watches Hikaru as he tells his story, of how he was sent to the emperor to be his tutor, of his fellow tutor’s jealousy, his plot, the deception. His death. His regrets. Watches as he tells him of Torajirou, the first soul he had been with, a kind man who let him play as he wanted in his search for the Hand of God. Time well spent and held dear until the day Torajirou died. A kind soul who died caring for those in need.

He gets lost in the story, it has been a long time since he’d reminisced on it. He had not forgotten his desire, it burned brightly in him every day, every moment. But watching Hikaru grow had been calm, gentle, he liked it.

He gets lost in his memories, pulled out only by the sound of Hikaru’s soft cries and he blinks, suddenly aware and present. He panics, there was a reason he hadn’t wanted to share this story, at least not until Hikaru was older.

“Hikaru, Hikaru, look at me.” He says softly, kneeling beside the chair, hands hovering idly in front of him. He does, tears streaming down his face, but when they lock onto his he moves, flinging himself off the chair and into Sai.

He catches him easily, patting his head softly, murmuring soft reassurances as his cries stifle and quiet.

“Can you teach me?”

“Hmm?”

“Go. Wanna learn.” He mumbles into the folds of Sai’s clothes.

“Oh!” He says, unable to withhold his excitement, but still… “Are you sure? It’s a lot of sitting.” Sai would love nothing more than for Hikaru to see in Go the same passion and excitement that he always felt, he would love to show Hikaru how to fight and battle through just stones on a board. But… Hikaru has been a bit odd as of late, and he doesn’t want to force him.

“It’ll be fun.” Hikaru says firmly.

“And how are you so sure?”

“Sai loves it. It’ll be fun.” Hikaru replies, and well, he has no argument for that.

-

At 7 Hikaru finally gets a chance to play on a real board. He hadn’t known how to explain to his parents his sudden interest, or how he’d even learned. Hikaru’s grandfather played, but he still made an effort to keep the game from his grandson.

Frankly Sai thought he should get over it, the goban wasn’t even haunted anymore! And sure, that was because Sai was now haunting Hikaru, but that was beside the point.

Sai bemoaned how Go had fallen out of favour, it was so popular back in his day, and yet now it was almost odd for a child to know of it. Until now they had made do with a drawn board on a piece of paper Hikaru had made. And on it Sai had taught him the basics, how to count lines, where stones would be placed. Buttons and pieces of paper used in place of proper stones.

But now, here they were, in Hikaru’s grandfather’s house, the family distracted by one conversation or the other.

“Hikaru, over here.” He called softly, his head lifting up from the drawing he had been making it. He looked over to his parents, then nodded, sliding out of the chair slowly, padding over to him. “It should be out here…” He murmured, more to himself than anything. Even though he was now tied to Hikaru, here, so close to it, he could still feel it.

“ ‘M not s’pposed to go in here.” Hikaru told him, though he did not hesitate to follow him through the storehouse’s door.

“Don’t you want to play on a real board Hikaru? I tell you there is nothing quite like the sound of stones clacking on the wood, the feeling of the stone between your fingers.” He sighed dreamily, pausing as he reminisced.

“Sai go,” Hikaru muttered, kicking his foot out. “I wanna see, show me.”

“Oh yes, of course.” He startled, looking around the room, eyes landing on the ladder-like staircase. “Up there.”

“Kay,” Hikaru replied as he climbed up the steps, “Dunno how grandpa does this all the time…”

Sai laughed, floating up the steps and into the second floor, and it was there. Just like he remembered it all those years ago, Torajirou’s stain still marking it’s edges.

“It’s bloody.” Hikaru remarked and Sai paused, the stain was… well it wasn’t there. Sai saw it, but he had understood well enough that no one else could. He supposed it made sense, Hikaru could see him, of course he could see the stain on the board.

“Torajirou’s,” Sai replied solemnly, “He died playing on this board. My board, his board.” He smiles softly. “It could be your board too.”

Hikaru’s lips pursed. “Gross,” he replied, sitting down beside it, “But cool. Don’t think grandpa would let me have it.”

“Well for now we can practice.” He said, rather upset because Hikaru was right. He did not see the boy’s grandfather giving it to him so willingly. “Come, grab a stone, you can practice placing them.”

Hikaru nodded, grabbing a stone from one of the goke’s between his thumb and forefinger and placing it on the board.

“No,” he bemoaned, waving the fan at him, “Not like that!”

“Well how else am I s’pposed too?”

“Like this!” He replied, holding his hand up, middle and pointer finger extended outwards over top each other. “You place it between your fingers like so.”

“S’hard.” Hikaru scowled.

“It takes practice,” He said, “Now come on, I’ll call out places on the board. You place them.”

It was amusing to watch Hikaru struggle to even lift the pieces at first, trembling fingers dropping them as they hovered over the board. He would scowl, swiping the stone back into the goke before starting the process over again. He smiled as he watched the determination light up in his eyes, and as the colours on the board grew and took shape each movement became more steady.

He lost himself to the rhythm of the game, and with Hikaru concentrating on placing the pieces he supposed it was his fault that neither of them noticed the angry steps bounding up the staircase.

“Hikaru.” Heihachi’s voice came, firm and striking and Hikaru flinched, dropping the stone he had been holding. “I’ve told you before you aren’t allowed in here.”

“Wanted to play.” Hikaru mumbled, grabbing another stone and rolling it through his hands.

“There’s a perfectly good goban in the house.” He replied after a moment, apparently off put by the statement.

“You don’t like me near it.” Hikaru said and Sai watched with perhaps a tad too much glee as he flinched at the statement. Yes! Feel bad for depriving your wonderful grandson of this game.

“Yes, well, this one is worse.” Heihachi replied, still frowning. “I should have sold it years ago like I had been planning.”

“No!” Hikaru shouted, spreading his arms as if to protect it from him. “You can’t, grandpa please.”

“Hikaru I…” Heihachi began, before trailing off, eyes straying towards the board. “Hikaru that game, where is it from?”

Ah. Perhaps a poor choice on his part to have Hikaru recreate a game from his palace days for practice. A child would have no reason to have such an advanced game memorized.

“Friend told me.” Hikaru remarked casually, “You won’t sell it right? Or um, I can buy it. Maybe…”

Heihachi sighed, running a hand down his face. “No. no that’s alright, you’re really interested in playing?”

“Yeah!” Hikaru exclaimed, “Look!” He said, picking up one of the stones swiftly and perfectly between his fingers, oh Sai was so proud. “I can do it now!”

“You can,” He replied softly, shaking his head, “come on now Hikaru, you worried your parents disappearing like that.”

“How’d ya know where to find me?” Hikaru asked, taking his grandpa’s hand to stand up as he looked back at the board.

“Don’t worry, we’ll clear it up after. And… it was a hunch boy, just a guess.”

Sai was doing a terrible job of keeping Hikaru’s grandfather’s suspicion of him down.

“You promise you won’t sell it?” Hikaru whined.

“No, no I have different idea.” He replied, ignoring Hikaru’s suspicious gaze to ruffle his hair.

To both their delights, they went home that day with the goban in tow, and a promise to come by and play his grandfather in the near future.

-

_‘Sai, Sai come on hurry up, I wanna play.’_ Hikaru called as he bounded up the steps to his room.

“You have to do your homework first, and you promised Akari and the other’s we’d go to a movie this evening.”

 _‘Ugh’_ Hikaru groaned, feet kicking out as he landed roughly on his bed. Even at 10 Hikaru was still adorable, rolling over to look at Sai with a pout. “That just means that if I finish my homework real fast we can play a game.”

“You’d have to do it correctly as well.” Smiling as he stuck his tongue out at him.

“What would you know about it being right?”

“I am in your classes every day Hikaru, I listen. And though the world has changed I still have the knowledge I gleamed from my past days, though much of it is… not as useful as I once thought.”

“Shut up! Annoying, come help me with this problem. I know you want to play too.”

“Oh I really do Hikaru, it’s been forever since we played.”

“We played _this morning_ , and I took you to that net café to play online just a couple days ago.”

“Ah yes, that computer thing, I do hope we can go again, so many people.”

“And I told _you_ once a week, I don’t have enough money for more than that. Besides, playing me isn’t good enough?”

“ _Hikaru_ ,” Sai gasped, lazily flopping himself on the boy, “Hikaru playing you is the best, there’s nothing like playing someone face to face. And you learn so fast, you’re the best student I could ask for!”

“I don’t want to be your student.” Hikaru muttered and Sai paused, pushing away.

“You… you don’t?” He asked teary-eyed. He supposed he was being a bit forward, but Sai was the one who taught him, who introduced him to the game.

“Stop looking sad!” Hikaru shouted, slapping his arms. “It’s not like that, it’s just…” he trailed off, muttering something underneath his breath.

“Hmm?” He asked, wiping the tears from his eyes, “Hikaru what do you mean then?”

Hikaru glared, cheeks heating up until he forcibly turned his head away, fiddling with the strings of his hood.

“It’s just. You’re you, you’ve been here my whole life, it’d be weird…” he trailed off, face turning an even brighter shade of red as he continued in a mumble but clear enough for Sai to hear; “You’re like a brother to me.”

“ _Hikaru!”_ He cried again, tears spilling out as he threw himself at him.

“Get off! We won’t get to play if I don’t finish this homework.”

“Yes, of course.” Sai said sagely, floating over to the desk, waiting for Hikaru to finish getting his materials. He sat silently for a while, watching him work, until he reached a problem that caused him to pause. “What’s wrong? Do you need help? I wouldn’t want my little brother to struggle.”

Hikaru’s hands slammed down on the table, turning to glare at him, an expression ruined by the adorable blush on his cheeks. “I changed my mind, no game today, in fact I’m gonna call Akari and ask her if she wants to meet up early to hang out.”

“No!” He wailed, “Hikaru I’m sorry I was just teasing, come on we _have_ to play. The game this morning was just Speed Go I need something slower.”

“Solve this one for me then.”

“That’s cheating!”

“I don’t know, I think I just heard mom hang up the phone though.”

“Fine,” he huffed, “I’ll help.”

A short while later as he watched Hikaru contemplate his next move, Sai thought he was quite happy with how things were. His time with Torajirou had been precious, one he would always look back upon fondly, but this was different, a softer kind of happiness.

Sai had missed having a little brother, and it was nice to have one again.

-

“Hikaru are you quite sure about this? You look like a robber.” Sai murmured as he stared up at the building.

 _‘You said you wanted to play a real person!’_ Hikaru grumbled, pushing the cap further down his head, and then huffing when the action displaced the sunglasses perched on his nose, and the facemask covering that.

“Well you won’t let me play your grandfather, or Akari even though she’s been making such a wonderful effort to learn lately.”

_‘And I told you, you can’t play them. They know how I play, they’ll think it’s weird that I’m suddenly super strong.’_

“You’re quite strong yourself Hikaru, but I see your point.”

_‘Exactly, hence the outfit. Even if someone I know is for some reason in there, the outfit should keep me from being recognized.’_

“You look silly.”

_‘Yes. I sure do, now shut up. I’m doing this for you after all.’_

“And I appreciate it, but how did you even hear of this place, it’s quite a ways from your home.”

 _‘Akari told me about it, one of the ladies at the Go thing she goes to mentioned it to her. It being so far lowers our chances of seeing someone familiar. Now hush, I’m going in._ ’

It was a nice looking place, it had that sleek modern look Sai had long since come to understand replaced the traditional feel he was accustomed too. There was such a nice amount of flora though, which was calming. And so many games! Oh why had Hikaru never brought him to one of these places before.

 _‘Sai.’_ Hikaru’s voice came, and he turned his attention back to him. He had finished his conversation with the nice looking lady behind the counter. _‘Do you see anyone you want to play?’_

He scanned the room again, this time looking at the people opposed to the surroundings, eyes falling on a boy Hikaru’s age seated by himself in the corner.

“Hikaru! Hikaru you should play him! It’s fun to play people the same age you, my cousin was one of my favorite opponents when I was a boy.”

 _‘We’re here for_ you _Sai, if you really want I can try again another day, but today’s for you.’_

“I suppose,” he said glumly, before he perked up again, reminded that he would soon be playing Go against a real person other than Hikaru, “I think I’d still like to play him, it’s nice to see someone so young playing. And by himself as well, I’m sure he studies quite hard.”

 _‘Weirdo’_ , Hikaru hummed, saying something to the lady at the counter before walking over to the boy, he coughed, clearing his throat.

“Fujiwara,” He said as he stood over the boy, deepening his voice to a very fake degree, arm extended in greeting. Behind him, Sai sighed in exasperation.

“Ah,” The boy mumbled, confused by holding out a hand as well, “Touya Akira, nice to meet you.”

“Yeah,” Hikaru replied, sitting in the opposite chair and placing the one black stone on the table. “same. Nigiri?”

Touya looked even more perplexed at that and Sai laughed behind his fan. “You… you don’t want a handicap?”

“What? We’re the same age that’d be weird.” Hikaru scoffed, _‘And besides it’d be unfair, considering you’re the one who’s going to be playing.’_

“Well…if you’re sure.” Touya replied, placing a handful of white stones on the table.

“Onegaishimasu.” Hikaru bowed, and the boy blinked. Perhaps he hadn’t expected Hikaru’s formality? Sai had made sure to instruct him well with the formalities of the game, he could even get Hikaru to sit in seiza through most of their games.

Though he supposed, given his covered appearance Hikaru didn’t look like the most proper of people.

“Onegaishimasu.” Touya replied, and when he lifted himself back up there was a sharp look in his eye. The gaze of someone who played with passion, a gaze he wished he could get Hikaru to grasp, but the boy was content playing for fun online and with family.

Maybe he could get Hikaru to learn something from this match.

He grinned, pointing his fan to a point on the board as Touya placed his first stone.

Yes, something told him that life after this game was going to be very exciting.

And Sai was _very_ excited about that.

Spending time with Hikaru was always fun, but he was sure it was about to get even better.

As the game progressed, and Touya’s eyes became sharper as he studied the board more deeply, Sai decided he had never been more sure of anything in his life.

_Exciting indeed._

**Author's Note:**

> [Edit fucking one day later: I cover Hikaru up so no one can recognise him and then have him introduce himself by his real name. great disguise. i'm an idiot. I have amended that to have him say a fake (sai's) name instead]  
> -  
> Yes technically this reads like the end of a chapter, instead of an end to a fic but I will not be continuing this. This fic just exists because I read one where Hikaru and Sai met at a younger age and it bothered me that they din't like, explain how. In canon there's a great reason for them not having met till that age. Why would Hikaru ever be in his grandfather's store house? The only reason he's there THEN is because he's trying to steal something for money. It was pure coincidence he went up that second floor in his search. So I tried thinking of a chain of events that would lead to it, which is what Heihachi's POV summarises for me. Then I continued it up until reaching canon, because it was fun, remember kids, writing for fun is the fucking best  
> As for Hikaru's Go level? I wouldn't say as good as Akira, he doesn't really have a passion for it yet, he loves the game but he doesn't care much one way whether he wins or loses --it's just a game right? Akira would be the one to teach him with his fierce eyes and impassioned plays. I'd place him idk, somewhere in the middle of the pro exam arc level. He's good, he's been playing for much longer here after all.
> 
> Also because this fic was told from Sai's POV i will say that Hikaru acted weird at the age 6 POV because he overheard some kids talking about ghosts and how they only haunted things because they had regrets, and they would leave once they found peace. Hikaru didn't want Sai to leave, but he also doesn't want to have Sai be sad. So he started learning Go, because it was linked to his regrets. When Sai disappears in this fic it will both be doubly heartbreaking, because Sai has been a part of Hikaru for basically ever in his eyes, but also an eventuality he'd always been low-key aware could happen.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> -  
> Also i forgot this last time but; [Tumblr](http://twinsky.tumblr.com)/[Twitter](https://twitter.com/twinsky72)


End file.
